Indianapolis Construction Update

Saturday, December 29, 2007

The new parking lot on the southern-most section of the Indianapolis campus is now open to vehicles.

With the opening of the new lot comes the closing of the existing Heart Center parking lot (also known as "Blue Lot #2"). In January, primary excavation for the new Indianapolis Bed Tower will begin in that lot.

The new lot will serve as the primary parking area for Heart Center patients and visitors (as well as physicians and staff) who have recently been parking in the Heart Center lot or the Green lots to the north and east of Medical Office Building #2.

The new perimeter road and a new driveway are also open for traffic. The road extends east toward I-65, curves north, then extends west to near the current Stop 11 Rd. entrance. The permanent driveway leads exclusively to the Heart Center entrance.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Starting Dec. 13, excavation work in the Women & Children’s lot (also known as “Blue Lot #1) will occur that will have temporary impact on parking there. This work is expected to conclude around Jan. 20.

However, the work will be done in sections so that only a few parking spaces will be taken out of service at a time. When work is completed on one section, parking spaces will be restored in that section before other W&C lot spaces will be taken out of service.

Handicapped and physician reserved spaces will be moved as needed during this project.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

UPDATED DEC. 13:The opening of the new Perimeter Rd., the closing of the old Perimeter Rd. and the elimination of the Blue (Heart Center) Lot has been changed to Saturday, Dec. 22. Visiting our campus? Download our newest map.

Paving work began Dec. 3 on the southern-most section of the new Indianapolis campus parking lot. The new lot will be open for vehicles on Dec. 20, the targeted completion date for this latest phase of the Indianapolis Campus construction.

Opening the new lot will enable construction to proceed on the existing Heart Center parking lot (also known as “Blue Lot #2”), which will be taken out of service on Dec. 20 when the new lot opens. Primary excavation for the new Indianapolis Bed Tower is slated to begin there in January.

Heart Center staff, physicians, patients and visitors who currently park in the Heart Center lot or the Green lots to the north and east of MOB II will use the new lot as their main parking area.“We appreciate the flexibility and patience demonstrated by those whose customary parking was disrupted by the early phase of new parking lot construction,” said John Ross, Indianapolis campus administrator. “The new lot will have more spaces than the current Heart Center lot, the former gravel area across from the Heart Center and the northeast section of the Green lot combined, so there will be room for everyone working at or visiting the Heart Center.”

At the same time, the new perimeter road -- which extends east toward I-65, curves north and then extends west to near the current Stop 11 Road entrance – will also open for traffic. A new permanent driveway leading exclusively to the Heart Center entrance will also open on Dec. 20.

Friday, November 16, 2007

The planned 6-story bed tower at Indianapolis campus will feature a relocated and expanded Emergency Department. The new structure is planned to be located next to the Heart Center, on the east side of the campus.

Some sidewalks outside the Heart Center will be temporarily closed during this work, but patients, employees, physicians and visitors will still have sidewalk access to the Heart Center entrance from adjacent parking areas. The parking area behind the medical office buildings will remain open throughout the excavation process.

Lane restrictions will occur when this digging extends across the perimeter road, but no full road closures are anticipated during this phase of the project.

Areas of the Women & Children’s lot will be closed/reopened as the utility digging there occurs.

On-campus signage will also inform physicians, patients, staff and visitors of these construction projects when and where they occur.

Work on the southernmost section of the new parking area and the new, extended perimeter road continues on schedule. Plans call for this work to be completed by mid-December.

In compliance with IC 16-21-2-11.5, these meetings will discuss the planned $265 million construction project at the Indianapolis campus that is scheduled to be completed by mid-year 2010. The project will include a relocated emergency room, six-story inpatient tower, new surgical suites and additional space for support services. This will allow for relocation of inpatient services from St. Francis Hospital-Beech Grove. These include but are not limited to cancer care, rehabilitation, medical-surgical and adult critical care services.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

The construction boom in south Indianapolis and Greenwood has led to longer commutes for drivers using Emerson and Stop 11 roads.

To help with congestion, St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers is working with city officials, Indianapolis Power & Light and engineering firms to install needed traffic lights on both Emerson Avenue and Stop 11 Road.

A stoplight on Stop 11, near the east entrance to St. Francis Hospital-Indianapolis and the entrance to Indiana Heart Physicians, should be installed by winter 2007. A traffic study last year verified that a traffic signal was needed there. After a utility pole is relocated, work will begin to install the light.

In addition, St. Francis and A&F Engineering filed a request to add a traffic light at the north entrance of the Indianapolis campus on Emerson Avenue in July. Another traffic study will be required at this intersection, however, the light will likely be installed by summer 2008.

Monday, July 16, 2007

You have likely heard about plans to consolidate our Beech Grove and Indianapolis inpatient services -- along with many outpatient and ancillary services – at our Indianapolis campus. The commitment of the Sisters of St. Francis to serve the people of southern Marion County, Beech Grove and south central Indiana is as strong today as it was when the Sisters were invited here nearly 100 years ago.

St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers plans to continue its long-term commitment to the people of Beech Grove, where services have been available since 1914. Plans call for necessary and appropriate outpatient services to be located at Beech Grove, either in existing or new facilities.

Friday, July 6, 2007

You have likely heard about long-range plans to consolidate our Beech Grove and Indianapolis inpatient services – along with many outpatient and ancillary services – at our Indianapolis campus. Since 1989, when the land was purchased for where the Indianapolis campus now resides, St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers has been planning the evolution in meeting the health care needs of a growing and changing population.

An important step in this evolution occurred recently when the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services board of trustees approved our plans to consolidate services at the Indianapolis campus.

Hospital leaders, physicians, and clinical and support staff have been working many months to develop these plans to enable us to continue and extend our health care ministry for decades to come. We anticipate that all construction projects in the consolidation would be complete in 2010.

Planned new facilities at Indianapolis campus include (but are not limited to):

A brand-new six-story inpatient bed tower

Expanded and relocated Emergency Department

Enhanced Imaging facilities and equipment

Additional Inpatient Surgery operating suites

1,000 additional parking spaces

Other health care entities continue building new facilities, adding capacity to already well-served areas. St. Francis is taking an approach of providing modern facilities, the newest technology and state-of-the-art, compassionate care in our existing market while reducing the square footage to provide those services. This will control the overall cost of providing care, helping us to meet the growing needs of those we will continue to serve.